Coasting sled



A ril 17, 1934. F. A. RICHARDS COASTING SLED Filed 001:. 17. 1931 JNVENTOR.

By FREDERICK 14. RICHARDS ATTORNEY VIII VIIIIIII 40 usual manner.

Patented Apr. 17, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE The invention relates to improvements in coasting sleds, and particularly to sleds of the singlerunner type.

An object of the invention is to provide a sled of the character described wherein the major elements thereof are arranged forreleasable attachment to provide a knock-down structure.

Another object is to provide the sled with a combination braking and steering means for 0 manual operation.

A further object is to provide an all-metal structure for a sled of the present type.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth or be apparent in the following description of typical embodiments of the invention which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective viewof a sled embodying the present improvements.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal and upright section through the sled.

Fig. 3 is a section at 33 in Figure 2. Figure 4 is an enlarged and fragmentary view of 2 control mechanism of the sled.

Figure 5 is an enlarged section at 5-5 in Figure 2.

Figure 6 is an enlarged section at 6-6 in Figure 2.

As particularly illustrated, the features of the present invention are incorporated in the structure of a sled 8, having a single runner 9 carrying a post 10 which mounts a seat board 11. Preferably, the runner comprises an elongated and generally hollow member 12 having a shoe member 13 mounted on its bottom. "The member 12 is preferably formed of aluminum or some other light weight material of requisite strength,

and is curved upwardly atits forward end in a The shoe 13 is of steel or other wear-resistant material, and is looped over the forward end of the member 12. Screws 14 fix the shoe to the member 12 whereby to permit a ready. replacement of the shoe should such prove necessary.

The post 10, it will now be noted, is tubular and is preferably more or less elliptical in section with the major axis of its section longitudinal of the runner whereby it is streamlined in the direction of movement of the sled. Preferably, and as shown, the post is angularly related -to the runner whereby it is given a rearward rake approximating the slope of a slide on which the sled would be used. The lower post end is provided with a radial flange 15 for engagement in a complementary seat 16 provided at the top of the runner structure. For a reason which will hereafter become evident, the seat 16 defines an opening in the upper side of the runner. Thumb bolts 17 are engaged through the flange 15 and in the runner member 12 for releasably fixing the post to the runner. The seat 16 is elongated longitudinally of the runner whereby rotation of the post on the runner is prevented independently of thebolts 17. The post would preferably be formed of aluminum or other light weight material.

The post 10 is radially expanded at its upper end to provide a flange 18, and the flange 18 is arranged for fitted engagement in a complementary seat 19 provided in the under side of the seat board 11. The flange-receiving seat 19 of the board 11 is seen to define an opening in the under side of the board, said board preferably being of a hollow structure, as is brought out in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawing. Depressions 21 are provided in the top of the seat board for receiving the heads of thumb-bolts 22, said bolts extending through the bottom of the depressions 21 and engaging the flange 18 at fore and aft portions thereof. The engagement of the flange 18 in the seat 19 is preferably such as to prevent rotation of the seat-board on the post independently of the bolts 22. The seat board 11 would also be formed of a light-weight material. With the structure now described, it will be evident that a knock-down sled is provided. Since the elements 9, 10 and 11 are generally elongated and lack markedly protruding portions, it will be evident that these elements permit a relatively compact packaging thereof for transportation to and from the point of use of the sled. Since, in the sled, the seat'board is transverse both to the post and runner, it is obvious that the assembled sled constitutes an awkwardly shaped article particularly for transportation in a vehicle. Furthermore, the light weight construction of the sled facilitates its carrying to the top of a slide by a user.

A combined braking and steering device is provided for the present sled. Accordingly, and as shown, braking arms 23 are pivotally mounted at the rear of the runner structure, said arms having their free ends thereof arrangedfor projection against, and gen'erally transversely of a slideway over which the sled is moving. As particularly brought out in Figures 2 and 6, the arms 23 comprise portions of members 24 having hubs 25 carried on a common pivot pin 26 and provided with operating arms 27. As particularly shown, the

- the hood 28.

upper and side portions of the runner member 12 are rearwardly extended to define a hood 28 in which the members 24 are normally enclosed, the pivot pin 26 engaging in and between the sides of the hood in perpendicular relation to the runner axis. When the braking arm 23 is inoperatively disposed, as in the drawing, the arms 27 are arranged to extend generally transversely of the longitudinal axis of the runner.

Actuation of the braking members 24 is arranged to be manually effected by a persons hands grasping the seat ends, and said seat ends are preferably formed to provide finger-receiving depressions 29 on their under sides; in this manner, the rider is provided with a positive hand grip at the seat ends. Pull rods, or cables, 31 extend from the seat cavity into the depressions 29 and carry handles 32 for engagement by the fingers of the riders hands, whereby the rods 31 may be independently and manually pulled out by the rider, the pulling of these rods being arranged to effect the actuation of the corresponding braking member 24. V

Such operative connections are preferably provided between the pull rods 31 and braking members 24 that different parts thereof are carried in and by the seat and post and runner elements, and engage for coaction by and upon an assembly of said elements to provide the sled. As particularly illustrated, bell crank levers 33 are mounted within the runner 9 at the opening of the seat 16, an arm 34 of each said lever being connected with an operating arm 27 of a braking member 24 by means of a pull rod 35.

A compression spring 36 is operative between the arm 34 and a spring seat provided in the runner whereby to yieldingly urge the retention of the braking arm in its inoperative disposition within The levers 33 are mounted on a common pivot pin 37 engaged between opposite side walls of the runner whereby the pivotal axis of the levers 33 is parallel to the bottom of the runner and to the pivot pin 26.

Bell crank levers 38 are mounted in the underside of the seat board 11, said levers being carried on a common pivot pin having its axis perpendicular to the post axis and extending generally longitudinally of the runner. Upwardly extending arms 39 of these levers have the inner ends of the pull rods 31 attached thereto whereby a rocking of these members is provided for through a use of the handles 32. The other arms 41 of these levers extend generally toward the different seat ends and within the upper end of the post cavity.

Push rods 42 are slidably and longitudinally disposed within the post 10 for operative coaction between the arms 41 and the free arms 43 of the levers33. As particularly shown, the different rods 42 s'lidably engage in bores provided through bosses 44 extending inwardly fromthe post walls at opposite sides thereof. Preferably, and as shown, collars 45 are mounted at the different rod ends for bearing engagement with the appropriate lever arms; in this manner the rods 42 are arranged to be retained in the post when the sled is disassembled. The push rods 42, it is noted, are each engaged with and between the arms 41 and 43 of the levers 38 and 33 respectively whereby the springs 36 are normally operative through the rod and levers to hold the pull rods 31 in withdrawn position. The present arrangement and operative assembly is seen to eliminate the need of any positive connection between the push rods and levers whereby the assembly of the runner and post and seat board is all that is necessary to complete the operative connections for the braking members 24.

It will now be noted that by reason of the operation of the braking members 24 at opposite sides of the runner, the actuation of one said member to a greater degree than the actuation,

of the other will tend to cause a swerving of the sled toward the side of the first member, thus providing for a steering of the sled. If only braking is desired, the braking members 24 must be actuated to a like degree by means of the handles 32. It will of course be obvious that if only the braking feature is desired, but one brake assembly need be provided with the brake member operative centrally of the runner.

The present sled, it is noted, calls for considerable skill on the part of a rider in controlling the same, since the rider must balance himself while riding. While the described braking and steering means may be omitted, it is seen to permit a stunting control by a rider, and so makes the sled more interesting as a piece of sporting apparatus. the brake operating connections prevents cloggage thereof with snow, this being an important feature in the present structure.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the advantages of the construction and method of operation will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have described the principle of operation, together with the device which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understoodthat the device shown is merely illustrative, and that such changes maybe made, when desired, as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States the following:

1. In a coasting sled, a runner, a seat post rising from the runner, a seat carried by the-post, a normally inoperative braking member at the rear end of the runner, a brake-operating element at the seat and for manual actuation bya person occupying said seat, and operative connections between said brake member and operating element, said connections disposed entirely within the confines of the seat and post and runner.

2. ma knock-down coasting sled, a runner, a streamlined seat post rising from the runner and detachably fixed thereto, a seat detachably' fixed to the upper end of said post, a normally inoperative braking member at the rear end of the runner, means operative at said seat to manually operate said braking member, and operative connections between said member and means having different elements thereof carried bythe runner and post and seat, said elements coactively engaged in the sled assembly.

3. In a coasting sled, a runner, a seat carried by said runner, normally inoperative braking members at the rear end of the runner and at opposite sides of the longitudinal axis thereof for engaging the ground rearwardly of the runner,

the upper 'post end, a normally inoperative brak.

ing member at the rear end of the runner, a lever The present complete enclosure of 1,954,830 mounted within said runner, a pull rod operative.

between said lever and member, a normally retracted pull rod mounted in said seat and. for' manual operation, a lever mounted in said seat and connected to said last pull rod for actuation thereby, a push rod carried within said post and coactive between said levers whereby a displacement of the said last pull rod is arranged to operatively dispose said braking member, and spring means coactive with said first lever for urging said inoperative disposals of said braking members and the second said pull rod.

5. In a coasting sled, a runner, a seat carried by the runner, a normally inoperative braking member at the rear end of the runner, a brakeoperating element at the seat and for manual actuation by a person occupying said seat, and operative connections between said brake member and operating element, said connections disposed entirely within the confines of the sled members.

6. In a knock-down coasting sled, a runner, a seat support rising from the runner and detachably fixed thereto, a seat detachably fixed to said support to extend transversely of the runner, a

normally inoperative braking member carried by the runner, means operative at said seat to manually operate said braking member, and operative connections between said member and means having different elements thereof carried by the runner and support and seat, said elements coactively engaged in the sled assembly.

7. In a coasting sled, a runner, a seat carried by the runner, a normally inoperative braking member mounted on the runner for operative application to the ground rearwardly of the runner and in the track of the runner, and means manually operable by an occupant of said seat to actuate said braking member.

8. In a coasting sled, a runner, a seat carried by the runner, normally inoperative braking members at the rear end of the runner and at opposite sides of the longitudinal axis thereof for engaging the ground rearwardly of the runner and solely in the runner track, and means to selectively and/or simultaneously actuate said members for producing steering and/or braking effects with respect to the sled.

FREDERICK A. RICHARDS. 

